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McGuinty made the surprise announcement two weeks ago that he was stepping down after 16 years as Liberal leader and nine as premier, but would stay on until the next leader is chosen.

But he told his ministers that if they wanted to seek the leadership, they’d have to resign from cabinet first.

Wynne, who holds the Toronto riding of Don Valley West, has held her Municipal Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs portfolios since the last year’s election. She also served as education minister from 2006 until 2010, then transportation minister for a year.

Several other potential leadership candidates are said to be considering a bid, including former cabinet minister Sandra Pupatello and ex-MP Gerard Kennedy, who lost to McGuinty in 1996 by just 140 votes.

The list of candidates is narrowing ahead of the Nov. 23 deadline, with Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, Education Minister Laurel Broten and Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid striking their names from the list.

The Ontario Liberal party will decide on a new leader on Jan. 25.

McGuinty has said his successor must decide when to bring back the legislature, which he prorogued as he stepped down.

McGuinty said he prorogued the legislature to allow time for his embattled government to negotiate with unions and the Progressive Conservatives on a public-sector wage freeze.

But it also brought all legislative business to a standstill and killed planned committee hearings into cancelled power plants in Oakville and Mississauga. The opposition parties have repeatedly accused McGuinty of proroguing to avoid more bad publicity over the decision to cancel the gas plants.